Method and apparatus for pressure-testing drill-hole casing



METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRESSURE TESTING DEILL HOLE cAsING Feb. 9 1926. E

J. S. MITCHELL Filed Jul 19, 1922 Patented, Feb. 9, 1926.

UNITED sTA'rlazs` JosErHvsTuAnT MITCHELL, OE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,l AssIGNon To SULLIVAN MA CHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION or MASSACHUSETTS.

METHOD AND ArrAEATUs ron r'EEssUnETEsTINo DRILL-HOLE cAsINo. A A

Application sied July-1s,

. ing, of which the following is a full, clear,

and exact specilic'ation.

My invention relates to methods and apparatus `for pressure testing drill hole casino.

lt thas for its object to provide an improved method and apparatus for pressure testing drill hole casing and more particularl the casings in oil wells whereby it is ma e possible-to' eliminate the necessity for the special and expensive high pressure pump and to utilize elements of the drilling mechanism. A Jfurther object of my inventien is to ppvide an 'improved met od and apparatus lor pressure testing core drill hole casings and especially those used in oil wells, whereby the mechanism of the drill may he utilized to rovide the desired pressure in the hole wit out the provision of thej supplemental high pressure pump Whichhas previously been thought necessarynnd supplied at large expense.

ln the accompanying drawings I have for purposes of illustration shown my improved method and apparatus in use in connection v with en oi-l `well drilling mechanism or" the 50 'which is adaptedv to act upona rod'line 2 and l erating upon ahole during pressure testing.

type described Aand claimed in my copending application Serial No. 533,603, filed Feb. 2,. 1922. i

ln these'drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation, partially in section, showing this complete mechanism op- Fig. 2 is an enlarged partial longitudinal sectional view of the casing after cementing.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the casing and the testing means.

The drilling mechanism comprises in gern Veral a hydraulically, operated diamond core drill mechanism including a usualvrod rotat-` and hydraulic to supply liquid thereto through a pipin g 3V from a pump 4, the rod lin'e carrying at 1ts lower end as usual a core barrel 5. l Y.

vIn my improved construction, when the f capping is reached,'the' hol e is suitably cased 1922. serial in. waoao.

as at v6 and cemented in a usual manner, the pump 4 being. used in this o eration. After the/cement has set and usual y before the cementingplugs 7 anfd 8 and the cement be# low the same are bored out, and again after the same are'bored out, the hole is subjected to a pressure test.. In certain fields, for eX- ample the Mexican elds, the pressure requiiad is very high, sometimes running as high as six hundred pounds per square inch.` This ressure test is obtained in my improve construction by the use ol' the rod line, improved as hereinafter described, and a stung bon 9, the latter herein havin a pressure gage l0 thereon, and being suitaly lined on the top of the casing 6, herein directly thereon, the test preferably being carried out or, preferably, by first illingthe hole with water by suitable means, as, for examplathrough the rod line which extends through the stung box 9 and carries a. check valve ll disposed in the line, preferably above the point of connectionfoie the core barrel 5, and then when the water lillod casing is thus com letely sealed by the valve rods extending through the stuit'- ing bon 9, lowering the rods into the hole, the check valve il in the rod line then operating to prevent the upward passage of Water up` through the rods and the stung box 9 preventing the escapel of liquid around the rods, so that'the pressure is increased as the rods are lowered'. lll/'heren .deep hole is being tested, it is found that is possible `through the hydraulic feed of .the mechanism l to feed the rods-by power and thereby increase the pressure as necessary although obviously any other power means may be used when necessary.- It will -also be evident lthat since the valve 1l is 4locatedabovev the core' barrel 5, the lattermay be removed from the rod line 4if `desired.' p a I As aresult of my improvement it is possible to test a cemented'hole without the pro- Uvision of Athe special high pressure pump heretofore used, the volume of the rods introduced' into Athe hole 3acting tdincrease the pressuretherein as necessaryfeither when the rods are simply lowered into the hole as in deep holes orrwhere: the rods'are forced down into the hole where the weight of the rods is itself insuiiicient. Thus, it will be observed that itl is unnecessary to provide :any substantial amount of mechanism other than the .f'tandard drilling -mechanism and that, in fact, where a stufiing box is provdeal and used in another relation asin my previous application mentioned, this same stulnng box may be used mboth relations,

' thereby obviating the necessity for any addit'onal mechanism. It will further be blserved that it is possible, not only thus to reduce the, cost-of the necessary equipment,'

but also to obtain the desired pressure test with facility andA dispatch.

lVhile I have in this application specifically described myimproved 4method and one apparatus by which the samemay be carried out, it will be evident that various modifications of this illustrative disclosure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the'scope of the appended claims. f

l/Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. The method of vpressure testing drill hole casings located in a well hole which consists in, sealing on the casing, and passing through ,a seal mechanical means in increasing Volume.

- 2. The method of pressure testing drill hole casings located in a Well hole which consists in passing through a seal into liquid in the casing mechanical means in increasing volume.

3. Themethod of pressure' testing drill hole casings which consists .in passing through a seal into liquid in the casing suitably valved drill rods in increasing volume.

4. Pressure testing mechanism for drill hole casings including a stuing box connectible to a casing, means for supplying liquid to said casing disposed adjacent the4 end of said casing to which said stuffing box is connected, and mechanical means movable through said'box in increasing volume to increase the .pressure in the casing, said box and means uniting to seal the casing. Y

- 5. VPressure testing mechanism` for drill hole casings including a stuing box connectible to acasing, and mechanical means for vume to increase the comprising a line of rill rods closed against 85 assage of fluid therethrough,` 'said box and) the upward ing said rod line.

-to the casing and subjecting said hqui 9. Pressure testing mechanism for drill 80 hole casings including a'stufling box connectible to a'casing, and mechanical means' movablethrough said b ox in increasing volressure in the casing the upward rod line uniting to seal the casing.

10,. Pressure testing mechanism for drill hole casings including a stuffing box connectible to a casing, and means for filling a casing with liquid and subjecting the latter to pressure including' a line of drill rods closed against the upward passage of luid therethrough, said box and rod line uniting to seal the casing. j

11. Pressure testing mechanism for drill hole casings including a stuing box thereon connectible to a casing, mechanical means movable through said box in increasing volume to increase the pressure in the-casing comprising a line of drill rods closed against assage 'of iuid therethrough, said box an rod line uniting to sealthe casing, and power means for feeding said rod llne.

12. lPressure testing mechanism for drill hole "casings including a stuing box connectible to a casing, means for supplying. liquid to the casing and placing the liqui under pressure including a line of drill rods closed against-the upward passage of fluid j therethrough, said box and rod line uniting to seal the casing, `and power means for feed- 13. Pressure testing mechanism for drill hole casings including a stung box connectible to a casing, a gage connectible to 'the casing, and means for supplying t0 pressure vincluding a line of'drill rods closed a ainst the upward passa e of iiuid theretlirough, said box and ro line vuniting to seal the casing. j

14. Pressure testing mechanism for drill hdle casings including a stuing .box connectible to a casing, and' mechanical means movable through said box in increasing volume lto increase the reure \in the casing comprising aA line o drill rods having a 130,

li uid4 check valve therein for preventing an u ward flow therethrough, said box and line uniting to seal the casing.

15. Pressuretesting mechanismfor drill hole casings including a stuin'g 'box connectible to a casing, a gage connectible to a casing, means for supply' liquid to the casing, and means for sub ectmg said liquid to preure including a e -of drill rods havlng a check valve therein for preventin v an u ward flow therethrough, said box an rod line uniting to seal the casing.n i 16. Pressure testingv mechanism for core P rod.

drill casings including `a. stuing box connectible to a casing, and mechanical means 15 movable through said boxin increasing volume to increase the pressure in the casing and including a line of drill rods having a core barrel thereon and a check valve in said line between the top thereof and said core 20 barrel for preventing an upward flow through said line, said box and rod line uniting to seal the casing.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

JosEPH STUART MITCHELL 

